Canastota, N.Y. >> The Great Swamp Conservancy has taken another step to get a restored canal barge on display.

A 30-foot-long canal barge, the Arcadian was built in 1911 and leased to the Great Swamp Conservancy in 2015. Since then, the GSC has been building a pavilion to put the barge on display.

“It took a few years to raise the money to purchase the materials. We want to protect the boat from the real bad rain and wind as much as possible, but also maintain the open feeling. And eventually, there will be a handicap accessible ramp that will reach the deck,” said Great Swamp President and CEO Michael Patane said. “It’s such a nice additional feature to the Swamp and we’ve used it as an educational tool; and we’re planning for much more.”

Patane said the Arcadian was a kind of boat known as a laker. This meant it would go up and down the Erie Canal picking up tourists and take cross-cut canals that would go to places like Onondaga Lake, Oneida Lake and Lake Ontario for day trips.

“We’re pretty proud to have it here,” Patane said. “We just need the ridge cap on the pavilion. We may put some siding down the backside on the north-west side for the wind and rain. I want to look at different options. But the pavilion is so big, it protects the whole thing.”

Patane said the boat originally came into the Great Swamp’s possession when Highway Superintendent Salvador “Tony” Cesario came to Patane and asked if he wanted the boat.

“It was sitting behind his place under a tarp. And I said sure, just make sure no one else wants it,” Patane said. “I talked with the supervisor at the time, John Pinard and said the same thing. Just make sure no one else wants it. Then around eight months later, Tony asked if we were still interested in the boat and I said yeah.”

Patane said the village of Canastota and the town of Lenox had done their research and didn’t have a spot for it or couldn’t get the funding for the building they wanted.

With the new pavilion, Patane is excited for the Great Swamp’s future as a museum.

“It’s going to be a great educational tool. The boat will be an extension of the beginning of the museum and part of a living history museum. And we can do so much more with this and the schoolhouse.”

The Arcadian and its new pavilion sit right next to the 1840s schoolhouse that originally came from Oneida Lake. The Great Swamp has been working hard to restore it, but have hit a bit of a snag.

“We’ve been refurbishing the schoolhouse and the interior is mostly done. We’ve got the materials for the floor, but we’ve run out of money. Bottom line, we’ve got the materials, but we don’t have the money for labor,” Patane said. “We’ve cleaned up the schoolhouse, put soffits on the buildings, patched up the holes and we’re all set to go. All we need is money. I’ve written a plea for funds in our newsletter to get the project going. We want to use this as a functional schoolhouse when we have our classes.”

Those looking to make a donation to the Great Swamp Conservancy can find more information by calling 315-697-2950 or emailing greatswampconservancy@gmail.com